Sowan hits the high notes on CD

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His distinctly gritty sound will leave listeners remembering the name Jared Sowan. The 13 tracks of his CD Eclectically yours are bluesy and soulful, with lyrics, though simple and straightforward, filled with emotion and stories to tell. This album is indeed eclectic, with a mix of styles from country to pop thrown together, but it's Sowan's jazzy/blues chops that hold appeal, with the help of bluesman Billy Joe Green, who is featured on lead, electric and steel guitars throughout the CD. There is an air of the David Clayton-Thomas and the Ray Charles in Sowan's voice on such tracks as Gift of Life, To Be With You and in the closing moments of Be Free.

Sowan's got real power in the upper register on these tracks; a power lost when he dallies in the basement. Sowan wears his heart on his sleeve with the song Being Adopted Sucks. "It's a chance for us to look back and laugh at the situations that we went through and look to our future full of other crap to deal with," he says in some patter between refrains, but the song, along with The Way and Broken Wing, sounds a little Back-To-School Special for this reviewer. The track Mother begins with the traditional vocals of Ray "coco" Stevenson and tells the tale of our disrespect for the land and the beings that live here. The CD wraps up with a pure southern blues treatment on Treat Me Nice, a good showcase song that demonstrates the strength of this album.